Garland County Chief Deputy Prosecutor Joseph P. Graham filed to run for Division 1 Garland County District Court judge ahead of Monday's deadline to gain ballot access by petition.
Graham is seeking election to the final two years of the late David Switzer's term. Switzer was re-elected in March 2016 but died the following December. The gubernatorial appointment of his replacement, Meredith Switzer, makes her ineligible to run for election. She succeeded her father in December 2016 and will serve through the end of the year.
Local attorney Tamra Barrett announced her candidacy for the position in September.
The county's two district court judges are part-time public servants.
Collecting signatures in support of his petition allows Graham to avoid a filing fee, which the Arkansas Board of Election Commissioners said is 3-percent of the position's annual salary. The Hot Springs Finance Department said the county and city's two district court judges receive $90,604 each in annual salary.
The county and city share in the salary expense as well as district court's more than $980,000 annual operating budget, which doesn't include expenses for the Garland County Courts Building.
Both judgeships will become full-time positions paid by the state in 2021. The Independent Citizens Commission established a $142,800 salary for full-time district court judges for the fiscal year that ends June 30. Per statute, full-time judges are prohibited from private practice.
Qualifications include being a licensed attorney in Arkansas for at least four years.
Per statute, district court judge candidates filing by petition are required to submit the signatures of 2,000 registered voters or a total equal to 1 percent of the registered voters in the district. Graham said he submitted more than 400 signatures to the secretary of state's office. The state election code allowed candidates to begin collecting signatures Nov. 8.
Division 1 District Court judge is the county's only judgeship up for election in the 2018 preferential primary and nonpartisan elections May 22. The filing period for nonpartisan candidates seeking ballot access through payment of a filing fee begins Feb. 22 and concludes March 1.
Graham was elevated to chief deputy prosecutor for the 18th East Judicial District last January after serving as a deputy prosecutor in Garland County for more than a decade.
Local on 01/10/2018